SEND EG RESIDENT LOU ANN BOTSFORD TO SOCHI

Lou Ann Botsford, owner of Finish Line Massage and Sports Massage Instructor at CCRI/Newport AND EG resident has been invited to support the Sports Medicine Effort for the Men’s Olympic Ski Jumping Team in Sochi, Russia.

Two fund raisers scheduled to help her get there.

·    Mat Pilates Class January 16, 6:30 pm  : Contrology Physical Therapy at 5835 Post Road, East Greenwich.  Admission is $30, payable in advance or at time of class.  Reservations 885-0051 or email contrologypt@gmail.com.  Bring your own mat.  Refreshments will be served afterward as participants have an opportunity to meet  Ms. Botsford.

·    Meet Lou Ann Botsford on January 26 3:00 – 6:00 pm Natale’s Deli, 2708 South County Trail, East Greenwich.   Suggested donation is $25 per person.  In order to give Natale’s an accurate count please contact organizers Bill Giannini or Holly Barton if you plan to attend at sochibound@yahoo.com.

 Ms Botsford, has served in a series of Olympic related volunteer positions beginning in 2012 where she was invited to the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs to be part of the ‘Medical Volunteer Program’ . During that time she helped athletes prepare for the London 2012 Games.  Most recently she worked with the U.S. Men’s Ski Jumping Team for the National Championships in 2012 and 2013 at the US Olympic Jumping Complex in Lake Placid which led to this invitation to Sochi.

 The U.S. Olympic Committee Sports Medicine staff depends on volunteer medical providers to help provide services to Team USA’s elite athletes Volunteers are heath care providers who have a minimum of three years of experience, including athletic trainers, chiropractors, massage therapists, physical therapists and physicians. 

 “Our role as massage therapists is to help each athlete achieve optimum readiness for better performance in each event. Massage plays an important role in recovery:  the goal is normalization of tissue to decrease muscle tension and increase range of motion,” said Botsford.  “For ski jumpers this process is key for the neck, back and legs,” she said.

 Since the positions are strictly voluntary, expenses for air fare, lodging and meals must be covered by each volunteer. Two fund raisers are scheduled to help Botsford with the costs. The first will be a Mat Pilates Class January 16 lead by Samantha Fallon, owner of Contrology Physical Therapy in East Greenwich and a reception January 26 for Ms Botsford hosted by Natale’s Deli of East Greenwich.

 Beyond the Olympic work, Ms Botsford’s list of additional volunteers activities through sports includes the MS 150 Cycling Event for the past 6 years to benefit victims of MS; two years in the Spokes of Hope ride for Cancer Survivors,  eight years at Operation Stand Down for Homeless and At-Risk Veterans (http://www.osdri.org/), the Pan Mass Challenge (a ride for Dana Farber Cancer research),   seven years at the Boston Marathon, RI Special Olympics,  the Tom G. Cavanagh Memorial Hockey Tournament, and is a member of the RI Crisis Massage Team which provides support to first responders during deployments.